How to ensure phycocyanin remains blue during organic dyeing?
Answers
Pigments such as ß-carotene, astaxanthin, phycoerythrin or phycocyanin can be used as colouring agents, whereas ß-carotene and phycocyanin are also promising antioxidants with potential applications as food additives (Hirata et al., 2000; Pulz and Gross, 2004; Palozza and Krinsky, 1991). Caro-tenoids from microalgae are valuable colorants for food (Denery et al., 2004). Investigations of carotenoids have been performed intensively during the past decades. The total amount of ß-carotene (Fig. 20.2) can amount up to 10% dry weight from Dunaliella salina cultivated under light stress in a tubular outdoor photobioreactor (García-González et al., 2005). The biosynthesis of astaxanthin (Fig 20.3) can account for up to 4% dry weight under nitrogen and phosphate starvation, resulting in commercialization of these products